December 2017 Play! by Sephora Review + Swatches

Hey dolls!

Today I have my December 2017 Play! by Sephora review, along with some swatches 🙂 So keep reading to see what I think about each product.

Bag Contents:

• Stella McCartney Stella Eau de Parfum
• Caudalie Vine[Activ] Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream
• Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
• Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Black
• Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Lipstick in Fuschia Pink
• Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Au Naturel

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Stella McCartney
Stella Eau de Parfum

Quick Description & Claims:

The refined floral evokes a rose in full bloom in a traditional English garden with a sultry amber contrast. Soft rosy floral top notes drive the fragrance, subtly balanced with sharp, fresh mandarin essence and light peony flower.

Notes:
Rose, Peony Flower, Mandarin, Rose Absolute, Amber.

Mini Product Review:

I really really LOVED this perfume. It is very subtle and it doesn’t reek of alcohol like the majority. It also seems to last quite a bit on my clothes, but not so much on me which is totally fine! It’s such a feminine perfume, even my husband liked it! I absolutely loved the very subtle floral scent.

Cruelty Free? According to CrueltyFreeKitty, this brand is vegan.

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Drybar
Triple Sec 3-in-1

Quick Description & Claims:

Triple Sec 3-in-1 is the instant volume and texture refresher. Perfect for refreshing limp locks, it provides soft, matte texture for a perfectly tousled look. It amplifies flat hair for intense volume and fullness, and absorbs light oils, leaving hair feeling fresh and clean. Good for all hair types.

Mini Product Review:

I wasn’t sure whether this was a dry shampoo so I had to look into a bit more. This one is more like a volumizing spray, which I desperately need, because my hair is kind of flat.

BUT. . . I’m not entirely sure whether this product works well on my hair or not. I tried it and it did seem to give my hair a bit of volume but it would go flat within an hour or so. I’m not entirely sure if it’s my conditioner that might be weighing down my hair or the hair oils and serums I’ve been using. So I’d like to keep trying different things before I decide whether it works for me or not.

Cruelty Free? Yes!

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Caudalie
Vine[Activ] Energizing and Smoothing Eye Cream

Quick Description & Claims:

An anti-wrinkle eye treatment that supports natural microcirculation, alleviates dark circles, and smooths out eye and lip contours. Quick-absorbing cream energizes the sensitive eye and lip area, improving the look of dark circles and puffiness. . . The complex is further enriched with collagen-boosting vitamin C and radiance-enhancing vitamin E to leave eyes and lips looking brighter and healthier.

Mini Product Review:

I was really excited to try a new eye cream and I’ve never tried this brand before. It felt very nice on the skin, but two or so weeks isn’t enough to notice any difference when it comes to skincare. And I was testing another eye cream when this arrived, so I can’t say for sure how well this one works. However, I can always give my opinion on it when I’ve had a chance to try it more thoroughly. 🙂

Cruelty Free? No, sold in China.

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Make Up For Ever
Artist Rouge Lipstick in Fuschia Pink

Quick Description & Claims:

An innovative, bold lipstick that provides long-wearing, show-stopping color and endless creamy comfort. This extremely pigmented formula not only provides intense, opaque color but boasts an ultra-creamy, non-drying formula that hydrates the lips for ultimate comfort.

Mini Product Review:

I have another Artist Rouge (the natural line) lipstick, and I really liked the formula. This one felt just as creamy as the other, which I was happy about. I don’t like this particular shade as much because it’s just so bright and bold to wear daily, but the formula is very creamy and comfortable. There’s a lot of transfer at first, but I blotted it a bit and there wasn’t much transfer after that.

It did stay on the lips for the rest of the day, I didn’t need to reapply after eating and drinking which was nice. It’s very pigmented, so a stroke or two will give you full coverage. I didn’t have a problem with bleeding, drying, feathering, or cracking.

 

Cruelty Free? No, sold in China.

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Laura Mercier
Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Au Naturel

Quick Description & Claims:

A long-lasting, creamy eyeshadow stick that can also line, highlight, and create smoky looks. This multitasking eyeshadow stick delivers both easy application and high-definition, long-lasting color. Long-wearing, transfer-proof, and crease-resistant, the color glides seamlessly onto lids and blends and layers beautifully with a rich pigment-payoff.

Mini Product Review:

At first I said “oh no” thinking it was a shimmery eye color, but it’s MATTE! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an eye stick that was matte so i was super excited to use it and see how much I like it.

The first time I used it, I used a concealer-like eyeshadow primer and set my eyes with a white shade like I normally do, but this didn’t blend as easily with all that underneath. It blends, but it will take you quite a while. The second time I used it, I used a different eyeshadow primer (a non-concealer-like one) without setting it, and that seemed to work better.

The third time I used this eye stick was on bare skin (no primer), and I was able to blend it easier. In fact, this was my favorite way to use it. It’s such a beautiful natural shade and I was able to use it along with one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, Ulta Rose Gold Natural Eyeshadow Palette.

It’s one of those eye sticks that you can use everyday and on-the-go when you’re in a hurry. I loved it more than I thought I would but it does take some trial and error to figure out which method works out best you.

Cruelty Free? Yes, but still a bit unclear.

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Clinique
Pretty Easy Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Black

Quick Description & Claims:

A 24-hour wear, eyeliner pen that delivers precise, dramatic lines. This mistake-proof liquid liner creates a clean line in one steady sweep. Its tapered, precision brush design makes it easy to paint on pure, deep color for thin to thick lines that won’t budge. This product is ophthalmologist- and allergy-tested, safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers, and is 100 percent free of fragrance.

Mini Product Review:

Ahh yess.. Finally, another liquid eyeliner to try! The previous one I received through Ipsy wasn’t my favorite. But this one kind of blew my mind. It was super easy to use and I was able to make a thin wing. I like this one so much and I would purchase the full-size only if it was cruelty-free.

If you don’t care about CF status, I highly recommend it!

Cruelty Free? No, sells to China.

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MOTD & Product Swatches:

I took the liberty of taking selfies in both cool fluorescent lighting and natural lighting so you can see how different the lipstick looks. And below I took a close-up so you could see the Clinique Liquid Eyeliner. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick was used on the crease.

Here are some swatches:

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What did you guys get in your boxes and what did you think of the products?!
Feel free to leave me your links so I can check yours out too! ❤

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Disclosure: this review is a personal opinion and is honest. I do not receive compensation for my reviews. Product(s) was/were purchased by me, unless noted otherwise.